


Prove It

by angelus2hot



Category: Charmed (TV)
Genre: Angst, Community: fandomhits, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 07:03:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8240417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelus2hot/pseuds/angelus2hot
Summary: Set after Season 4 Cole is back and he realizes he has to let her go.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Title:** Prove It  
>  **Fandom:** Charmed  
>  **Characters/Pairing:** Cole Turner/Phoebe Halliwell  
>  **Rating:** PG-13  
>  **Word Count:** 1,266  
>  **Summary:** Set after Season 4 Cole is back and he realizes he has to let her go.  
>  **A/N:** written for fandomhits for the song 'Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not by Thompson Square' on my [playlist](http://angelus2hot.livejournal.com/647953.html)

After weeks of hoping Phoebe would realize it had been The Source and not him who was responsible for everything that had happened it was time to give up. It was plain to Cole he was never going to win her back. As much as it pained him to even consider it he had to let her go. 

“I came to apologize.” Cole stared down at Phoebe as he spoke almost literally drinking in the sight of her, storing memories that would have to last him for an eternity. “I’m sorry.” He reached out and gently stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers before cupping her face in his hands. “I won’t bother you again.” He brushed his lips against hers in farewell before he turned and walked towards the door.

“Cole. Wait!” Phoebe ran to stop him. She couldn’t let him leave like this. He couldn’t walk out of her life. No matter what had happened she couldn’t lose him. She just hoped he felt the same way.

He paused with his head bowed before he took a deep breath and began to speak. “I fought every single day The Source was in me. I tried to find a way to get him out but he was too strong. And I could feel myself getting weaker with each passing second but somehow I managed to hold on.” Cole took another deep breath and turned to face Phoebe. “I held on because I knew you would figure it out. That you would know it wasn’t the real me and you would save me.” His voice broke as the hurt and disappointment he felt washed over him. “But you never did.”

Tears filled Phoebe eyes. She couldn’t deny what Cole was saying. She hadn’t saved him. She hadn’t known The Source had taken him over. And worst of all to her everlasting shame she had actually believed it was her Cole who was doing all of those terrible things. _How was she supposed to live with herself?_ “I’m sorry, Cole. I’m so sorry.” 

“I don’t understand, Pheobe. How could you not know it wasn’t me?”

Her cheeks grew pink with shame. “I don’t know. I thought something was off with you. But I honestly didn’t know what it was. And then when Paige...”

Cole quickly interrupted. “Of course. Paige.” He said the name as if it were the vilest of words. “She says I’m evil so it must be true.”

“No. It’s not like that. She was only...” Phoebe attempted to explain.

He raised his hand to stop her. “If you don’t mind I’d rather not hear anymore about her. She’s never been my biggest fan. The minute she found out about Belthazor it seemed she set out to break us up.” He didn’t say _and you let her_ but it was there in his mind. A sigh swept through him. “She makes me miss Prue.” That was something he had never thought would ever cross his mind much less leave his mouth.

She bit her lip to keep from smiling. Prue hadn’t been his biggest fan either when they’d first met but she had allowed Cole to prove himself to her. But Paige had never given Cole a chance. “But you were evil.” She couldn’t resist reminding him. But at the look on his face she quickly amended, “Okay it wasn’t you but The Source who was evil.” She took a step closer. “I am sorry, Cole. I would do anything to take it back, to do it differently but I can’t.” A tremor raced through her body and tears fell down her cheeks at the memory of vanquishing Cole. It had been the hardest thing she had ever had to do. 

At the sight of her pain Cole could feel himself letting go of the hurt and anger he’d felt towards her. No matter what had happened between them, good or bad he still couldn’t stand the sight of her tears. “It’s okay, Phoebe.”

Phoebe shook her head. “No, it’s not. I did it again.”

A look of confusion began to spread across his face. “Again? What are you talking about, Phoebe?”

She tried to brush the tears away with her fingers but it was futile. “Don’t you remember the witch and you asking me to save you and I told you to....” Phoebe hiccuped as the tears fell faster.

“You told me to save myself.” He took a deep breath before letting it out loudly. “I’d forgotten about that. The truth is you have saved me just by believing in me, believing that I was good.” Self-mocking laughter escaped him. “Or at least that I had the potential to be good.”

“But I didn’t save you when it counted.” Her voice was small, her words haunted.

“We could stand here all night, hell all week and go back and forth on what we should have done but it would be pointless. It’s in the past and we can’t change it. Besides if you and your sisters hadn’t vanquished me I wouldn’t be standing here. The Source would still have control over my body and there’s no telling what else he had in store for you and your sisters.”

“Do you still love me?”

Cole blinked. He was stunned at the question. Talk about your segues. “I will always love you, Phoebe. Nothing is ever going to change that. Not errant sisters who can’t stand me, nor the ones who don’t trust me, not even Belthazor or The Source.” A thought occurred to him. “When have I ever given you cause to doubt that?”

“Well you were pretty angry with me.”

He took another step closer and closed the distance between them. “Anger is just another form of passion, Phoebe. You know that. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you.” Cole slid his arms around her waist and pulled her unresisting body close to his. With a serious look on his face he stared down into the eyes of the woman he loved. Before she could say anything he felt it was only fair to come clean. “I’ve got my powers back. Not just mine. A lot of powers. Much more than I ever had with Belthazor.”

“I know.”

“Does it worry or frighten you?” His arms tightened around her. He hoped he could let her go if that’s what she wanted. “Do I scare you?”

Phoebe ran her hands up his arms before clasping them behind his neck. “No. I’m not scared of you, Cole. I never was. Besides you would never hurt me. Even as Belthazor or The Source you couldn’t do it. Everyone else might have been fair game but with you I was always safe from harm.”

He couldn’t wait any longer. “Say it.”

“I love you, Cole. I love all of you. The good and the bad and nothing is ever going to change that. I promise.”

For a brief moment he closed his eyes and let her words wash over him. He opened his eyes to find Phoebe staring up at him with an expectant look on her face.

“Are you going to kiss me or not?” A teasing glint was in Phoebe’s eyes as she leaned her head back to stare up at him.

“Why, Miss Halliwell, I plan on doing a lot more than that.”

A huge grin spread across her face as she whispered the words that had started it all, “Prove it.” 

His answering smile was a sight to behold, without another word Cole lowered his head and began to do just that.


End file.
